Push-ups are a well known, widely accepted exercise for developing upper body strength. The push-up develops strength in the chest, as well as triceps and shoulders. Another advantage of push-ups is the convenience of which they can be performed. They can typically be performed at home, or anywhere with sufficient floor space. While the basic push-up is a good exercise in developing physical fitness, by varying the form of the push-up, the upper body muscles can be stressed in different ways to further enhance the effectiveness of the workout. Therefore, it is desirable to have a system for performing a variety of different types of push-ups.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,684 teaches a portable, lightweight and hand-held triceps muscle exerciser that has a base with a flat lower surface and a pair of arms extending upwardly therefrom and joined together to form a structure having an isosceles triangle shape. Grips are provided on each arm intermediate their ends. The arms extend from the base at an angle of about 35 degrees.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,108,643 teaches an elongate floor-supported platform having sliding handgrips mounted thereon. In a preferred embodiment, the handgrips, which are constrained to move only along a track, which may be linear or curvilinear and lying in a substantially horizontal plane, are interconnected by linking means such as belts. The linkage is such that the handgrips remain equidistant from a fixed centerline midway between the handgrips throughout their range of motion. In the preferred embodiment, the linking means are belts that are supported by pulleys housed within the floor-supported platform. In yet a further embodiment, the platform includes wall and/or ceiling attachment means and can be employed for performing pull-ups.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,144,351 teaches an exercise device comprising three blocks: a “first block”, a “second block” and a “third block”. Each block has a horizontal platform (herein, “first horizontal platform”, a “second horizontal platform” and a “third horizontal platform”) upon which the user can stand on and perform all types of exercise activity. It is preferred that three blocks are connected together by two hinges (herein, a “first hinge” and a “second hinge”). It is also preferred that the three block be of graduating heights. It is preferred that the first hinge be connected between the first block and a first vertical corner of the second block so that the first hinge rotates about an first axis that that is perpendicular to the plane formed by the first horizontal platform. It is also preferred that the second hinge be connected between the third block and the second vertical corner of the second block so that the second hinge rotates about a second axis that is perpendicular to the plane formed by the second horizontal platform. In the preferred embodiment, the first vertical corner of the second block is diagonally opposite from the second vertical corner of the second block.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,800 teaches a portable device that assists exercisers who do pushups or use free weights through the difficult portion of the exercise motion, so as to allow exercisers to obtain better results more efficiently: Upper and lower surfaces, a force-generating device and a force-transferring device cooperate to transfer a selected amount of upward force to an exerciser's body (in the case of pushups) or a barbell (in the case of free-weight exercise) through a predetermined portion of the exercise motion. Thus, this device allows an exerciser to combine the benefits of variable-resistance exercise machines with the benefits of pushups and free-weight exercise. Also, exercisers not strong enough to do pushups will be able to do them with this device, other exercisers will be able to obtain better results doing pushups, and all exercisers will be able to perform back exercises with the same device, and then fold up the device into a compact briefcase size and shape for travel or storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,707 teaches a device for exercising a user's upper torso that utilizes a minimum of space. A wheeled housing is provided with a handle member providing an effective grip to a user who will lean his or her body's weight against the device is coupled to one or more of the wheels to display the amount of rotation of the wheels thereby giving an indication to a user of the amount of exercise undertaken. A reader of the movement of the device has an output connected to a counter/display that is resettable. The reader is mounted in a spring loaded cavity so that an effective outwardly force brings its ball member in contact with the surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,791 teaches yoga grip blocks having one or more block sections and a grip section that provide support and comfort in the practice of yoga exercises. The invention includes preferred materials to fabricate yoga grip blocks and describes methods of using yoga grip blocks.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,623 teaches a push-up exercise holder. The holder includes a seat, a lever that is pivotally installed on the holder, and an elastic buffer element is installed between the seat and the lever. A holding portion of the lever is elevated and positioned on the seat, and a notch is formed between the lever and seat so that as the push-up exercise holder is held, it generates a buffer effect with upward and downward movement of a body.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,318,794 teaches a yoga block system which includes a first block and a second block which can either be rectangularly shaped or triangularly shaped. These blocks are capable of joining with one another, releaseably, along either a common face when the blocks are rectangular or along the hypotenuses when the blocks are triangularly shaped. At least one of these blocks is preferably hollow enabling a user to gain access to its interior. Notwithstanding the elements used to join them, each block presents to a user faces which remain substantially planar.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,468,025 teaches a push-up exercise unit and device is described which may enable a user to move with his/her body's natural rotation to engage additional muscle groups with reduced stress on joints. The device can include a handle support structure having a pair of columns between a lower base and a separate end cap such that the handle intersects a corresponding end cap and upper portion of a corresponding column of the handle support structure. The device includes a fixed base support attached to the handle support structure, and a bearing assembly to permit rotation of the contiguous handle, end caps and handle support structure by a user with the base support resting on a planar surface. In another example, the handle assembly is detachable from a first surface on the handle support structure and inserted into a second surface to facilitate stowage for travel.
US Publication 20060089241 teaches a pushup wedge. The pushup wedge is made of an elastomeric material with a density in the range of about 25 kg/m.sup.2 to about 150 kg/m.sup.2 and has a generally wedge shape with a sloping top that slopes between about 5 and 20 degrees from the horizontal from a lower front portion to a higher rear portion, wherein the rear portion has a generally curved contour. A retention strap can be further included that passes over sloping top, which retention strap is adapted for retaining a user's hand between the strap and the sloping top.
US Publication 20070161476 teaches a yoga block system which includes a first block and a second block which can either be rectangularly shaped or triangularly shaped. These blocks are capable of joining with one another, releaseably, along either a common face when the blocks are rectangular or along the hypotenuses when the blocks are triangularly shaped. At least one of these blocks is preferably hollow enabling a user to gain access to its interior. Notwithstanding the adjoining means, each block presents to a user faces which remain substantially planar.
US Publication 20070219076 teaches a yoga block that is in two identical sections which disassemble to form two yoga wedges. The two yoga wedges are held together in block form by a cylinder passing through both wedges when the wedges are aligned into the yoga block form.
Although the prior art discloses aids for executing push-ups, none of the patents or publications cited above disclose the present invention. The present invention allows the user to stack interlocking or frictionally engaging blocks or foam pads to achieve a maximum work out. The blocks/pads are stand-alone, and may be stacked to different heights for each side of the body, allowing a weaker arm to be worked less than the stronger arm during a push up. The push up blocks/pads can be used in a number of ways for exercising a number of different muscle groups. One use that provides a major advantage over the prior art is for ‘reverse pushups’, in which the user sits with his back to the blocks, his hands on the blocks, and pushes up to work a range of muscle groups that are not worked by conventional push-ups.